


If You Just Let Me

by CyborgSamurai



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Friends to Friends With Benefits to Lovers, they love each other don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgSamurai/pseuds/CyborgSamurai
Summary: L [8:21 PM]: can I come over and give you head then cook for you?“GRIFF WHO THE HELL IS L?!”Clarke, appearing to come out of nowhere, snatched her phone from Raven with a loud sigh. What’s a girl got to do for a little bit of privacy around here?
Relationships: Anya/Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Octavia Blake/Lincoln
Comments: 17
Kudos: 322





	If You Just Let Me

**Author's Note:**

> Clarke has been seeing someone, Raven has been seeing someone, and Octavia has been seeing someone. But only one of them actually has their shit together. The other two couples are playing catch up.

Clarke, Octavia, and Raven were all in their shared apartment settled in the living room for a much-needed girls’ night. Even though they all lived together, they hadn’t really seen or spent time with each other in over two weeks. That was something that hadn’t happened since they all first met, eight years ago as college freshmen. But with Clarke in her final year of med school as well as working at the local coffee shop, Raven picking up a second job as a part time mechanic in addition to being an engineer (“Being a mechanic will be my stress free, fun job, guys. I need it.”) and Octavia picking up more shifts at the precinct due to a number of recent break ins in their district, things had just been extremely busy.

“I’m glad we’re doing this. I missed you guys,” Octavia said with a content sigh as she watched Clarke smack Raven upside the head for a comment she made about the movie they were currently watching.

Raven turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. “Okay, I expected that kind of gay sentimental shit from Clarke, but not you, O.”

Both Clarke and Octavia rolled their eyes simultaneously. They knew Raven had missed it too though.

Clarke stood up, gathering the eyes of the other participants in the room.

“I’m going to pee then get a drink. You guys want anything?”

Raven smiled “A water would be fine, snookums.” Octavia just laughed and said no thanks. Clarke chuckled quietly at Raven’s ridiculousness and walked off.

As if on que, as soon as Clarke left, her phone dinged with a new text message. Raven immediately snatched it, just to be nosy. She really didn’t have any intentions of actually reading the message, she just wanted to know who it was.

Clarke had been secretive lately. With that being a known fact, naturally, Raven and Octavia were placing bets. Octavia bet that she was simply seeing someone. Raven bet that she was either trying to cover up something illegal she did or was trying to cover up some weird newfound fetish.

But when Raven glanced at the name, a specific part in the message caught her eye and she ended up reading the entire thing. Her mouth dropped open in shock. She turned to her left to gauge Octavia’s reaction, but the other girl had been none the wiser. She was giggling at her phone. Presumably at Lincoln. Raven nudged her hard and gestured wildly to the phone in her hand.

When Octavia was finally caught up to speed her mouth dropped open too. Then she looked over at Raven and smirked.

“Looks like you owe me twenty, babe.”

**_L [8:21 PM]: can I come over and give you head then cook for you?_ **

“GRIFF WHO THE HELL IS L?!”

Clarke, appearing to come out of nowhere, snatched her phone from Raven with a loud sigh. What’s a girl got to do for a little bit of privacy around here?

“Total invasion of privacy, thanks for that,” Clarke said sarcastically. Her eyes skimmed the message and smirked. She sent off a quick text and sat down with her beer. She tossed the water to Raven.

Octavia, who was watching the entire exchange, spoke up. “Oh hell no. Did you just tell L that you’d meet them? Clarke, this is girls’ night!”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Relax, O. I told her we’d definitely be revisiting that idea later but tonight I am... otherwise occupied. Unfortunately.”

Octavia completely ignored the last part and sat back satisfied. “I’m picking the next trashy movie,” she smiled. As she grabbed the remote and started scrolled through the Netflix queue, Raven finally broke out of her “shock”.

She whipped around to O. “That’s what you’re worried about? Not the fact that she’s seeing someone we know nothing about?”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “She’s allowed to have her privacy, Rae.”

Raven’s mouth opened to retort but found nothing worth saying so she just closed it and pouted. She knew that her friend was right, but she just couldn’t help being curious. Besides, she had been trying to set Clarke up on dates for like the past month and a half. Now she felt kind of ridiculous for wasting both of their time.

She turned to Clarke. “Is this why you wouldn’t go on any of those dates I set up? You have a secret girlfriend.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “First of all, she isn’t my girlfriend. We’re casual. Second, I did tell you I was seeing someone. Unofficially. You laughed and assumed I was just trying to get out of it.”

Octavia laughed. “I remember that. And that same night we placed bets. Twenty dollars, Rae. I’m not kidding.”

Clarke looked betrayed. “Bets?”

They both shrugged. “Are you really surprised?” asked Raven as she crumpled up a twenty-dollar bill from her pocket and threw it at Octavia’s face.

Octavia grinned partially at Clarke but mostly at her new funds. She stuffed it in her bra. “Seriously, Clarke, it’s us. We bet on everything.”

Clarke rolled it around in her head for a few seconds before letting out a soft laugh. “Yeah.”

They went back to looking at the tv when they heard the opening of a movie start. Apparently, Octavia had decided on a movie. Barely fifteen minutes in found Clarke sighing loudly.

“Guys, just ask your damn questions already.”

They both opened their mouths but Clarke held up a hand. “You each get three questions. Six total. Be wise in what you ask.”

Raven and Octavia dramatically huddled together and began loudly whispering, leaving Clarke to roll her eyes with a smile on her face. She loved those two idiots. After a couple of minutes, they broke the huddle and gave each other a serious head nod before turning to Clarke.

While they stared, Clarke stared back a bit worried. “Okay, you’re both creeping me out. Just ask already.”

After another shared glance, Raven spoke up. “How’d you two meet?”

“Coffee shop.”

They waited for her to elaborate, but when she didn’t they looked unimpressed. “Really? That’s all you’re going to say?” Octavia asked.

Clarke grinned. “I never said how in depth I’d be with my answers.”

“She has a point,” Raven grumbled. “Alright, does she work there with you? Do you like her? Is she good in the sack?”

“Nope. Obviously if we’re having sex. Yup.”

“Hey that’s not what I meant! I meant do you have feelings for her!” Raven protested.

“Welp,” Clarke shrugged. “That’s what you asked.”

Octavia snacked Raven’s head. “You wasted three questions, asshat!” Raven just looked sheepish.

“What’s her name?” Octavia asked. She was smug because there was no way for Clarke to avoid or talk her way around this. When Clarke glared she knew she had her.

“Lexa.”

Octavia and Raven paused. Clarke looked on in confusion. “Lexa?” Raven repeated.

“Yeah..” Clarke drawled. She didn’t know where this was going.

“Well Lexa isn’t a common name… so is it-“

“Lexa.” Octavia stated. Raven threw her a halfhearted glare at the interruption but otherwise did nothing but wait for her to get on with it. “As in Anya’s best friend, Lexa Woods.”

Clarke looked even more confused. “You guys know Anya and Lexa?”

Raven smacked her own forehead. “Yes, Clarke. We met them through Lincoln. Weird. You’ve been absent every time so you’ve never met them. Well, apparently you have.”

Clarke laughed. “Small world.”

Raven shook her head. “How’d you meet again?”

Clarke smiled and this time just let everything come out. “It’s so cliché but, like I said, we met at the coffee shop where I work. She came in late one-night last summer just before close with her laptop looking tired but also so beautiful. I took her order and cleaned the counters and stuff. I expected her to be gone, but when I turned around, she was sitting at a table with her laptop open while sipping on her coffee.”

“Judging by the look on her face, I’m guessing you’re about to say something gay. Like how cute she looked or something.”

Clarke flicked her beer top at her, but otherwise ignored her and continued on. “I called her an asshole and gave her a long, tired rant about how rude it was to come in right before closing time and have the staff wait for you. She apologized and left. But she put a twenty in the tip jar before leaving with a smirk. I knew from then she was trouble.”

Octavia looked equally confused and amused. “Okay but how’d you go from that to head and home cooked meals?”

Clarke laughed. “That was months ago when we first met. About a week after, she came back and ordered. I was on morning shift and still half sleep so I totally didn’t recognize her. Mostly because I wasn’t looking at her. But when I asked for a name for the order she said ‘Asshole’ and I choked. When I looked up she had that stupid sexy half smile of hers.”

Octavia grinned. “Sounds exactly like something Lexa would do.”

“Yeah so anyway, somewhere from there we actually became friends. We didn’t start sleeping together until recently.”

“Okay, but how do you know Anya?”

“Lexa introduced us. We kind of knew of each other early on, you know, hi and bye, but we hadn’t actually hung out until recently. One time we were at her apartment and Anya came home. Her date got cancelled.”

“Date?” Raven asked hesitantly. “How recent was this?”

Clarke paused to think. “Like a month or so ago. Why? Interested?”

Raven started gathering her things. “Nope. But it is late so... good night.” She went to her room and a few moments later they heard as she closed the door behind her.

“Um... was it something I said?” Clarke asked confused.

Octavia sighed. “Her and Anya totally have an almost thing going on. But neither will admit it.”

Clarke looked perplexed then a look of realization overtook her features. “Huh.”

Octavia quirked a single eyebrow in question so Clarke continued. “So that’s what Lex means when she tells Anya to ‘ask the girl genius out already’ I had no idea it was Rae,” she said with finger quotes around the quoted words.

Octavia sat back on the couch. “Well at least we know dinner at Lincoln’s tomorrow night is going to be interesting.”

Clarke almost started choking on her beer. “I forgot about that!” When Octavia didn’t say anything, she just word vomited all over the place. “I mean, shit, Lexa is totally going to be there. And what if she doesn’t want to do this anymore because of all the ways we’re entangled. I mean, come on! The three of us are best friends who are dating or _involved_ with the three of them? Who are also best friends? That’s way too weird. Shit, maybe I should just end it before she does.”

Octavia’s mouth dropped open. “Okay, wait a minute, Clarke, I don’t think-“ but she was cut off before she could even finish.

“Good talk, O, thanks. I’ll go text her now,” Clarke said while standing up with her phone in hand. She started on the way to her room, and Octavia was still too shocked to say anything other than to utter out the word ‘text’ with her mouth still open. Clarke paused. “You’re totally right… ending things with a person over text is so shitty. Fuck, I’ll have to do it in person.” And with that she left.

Octavia was still sitting on the couch staring at the place that Clarke had previously occupied. She sat back and sighed. “Welp. Now Saturday is definitely going to be interesting.” She lifted the remote to press play and turn up the volume. She got very comfortable on the couch and glued her eyes to the television. “Very interesting.”

Back in Clarke’s room, she was trying to figure out a way to break up with Lexa without actually breaking up with her. Because they technically weren’t together so. You can’t break up with someone you aren’t really dating, right?

**_Clarke [9:34 PM]: hey, what are you doing right now?_ **

The reply came in less than a minute later.

**_L [9:34 PM]: texting a really pretty girl_ **

Clarke rolled her eyes at the corniness but still blushed.

**_Clarke [9:35 PM]: you’re so lame... ft?_ **

**_*Incoming FaceTime call from L*_ **

Clarke answered immediately. She smiled. “Hey, babe.”

Lexa’s face came into the camera and she smiled right back, just as brightly. By the background, Clarke could tell that Lexa was in her room. In her bed, to be exact. “Hey yourself. What’s up?”

“I found out something really interesting tonight.”

Lexa readjusted herself so that she was lying down with her arm behind her head while the other still held the camera. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

“You know my roommates.”

Lexa quirked an eyebrow. “I… what now?”

Clarke smiled. “Octavia and Raven. O is dating your best friend, and Rae has a thing with your other best friend.”

Lexa sat up surprised. “Wait. _You’re_ the mysterious roommate who’s always too busy to hang out with us?”

Clarke laughed. “Yes. That’s me.”

Lexa laughed. “That’s ridiculous. We’ve been… _hanging out_ for almost a year. Lincoln has been dating Octavia for like… I don’t know how many months now. Has it been three? Four? And Anya and Raven have been suffocating everyone with their sexual tension for the same amount of time. How have we never put two and two together?”

Clarke laughed with her. “I know, right? Minus the Anya and Raven thing. I know nothing of that.” After the laughter died down they simply continued to look at each other, both enjoying the view.

Lexa repositioned herself so that she was sitting up with her back against the headboard. “Huh.” She smirked as a thought hit her. “You’re always busy, but you always have time for me.”

Clarke rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it. “Whatever. What were you doing before I called you?”

Lexa flipped the camera to show her television. It currently had a movie on pause. A Disney movie.

Clarke laughed. “Seriously, Lex? You’re watching Toy Story?”

“Toy Story 3,” she corrected. “I watched the first one with Anya, then the second by myself. And I was just starting this one when you called… care to join me?”

Clarke smiled apologetically. “I’d love to, but it’s already late and I don’t really want to leave my house.”

Lexa nodded. “I wasn’t expecting you to. I just meant… like a FaceTime date. Or whatever.”

Even though Lexa appeared to be calm, Clarke could tell by the slight flexing of Lexa’s jaw that she was nervous of her response. “Relax,” she said gently. She knew Lexa worried about overstepping, and it meant a lot to her that Lexa cared. “I will join you. Just let me get comfortable.” She put her phone down and moved to her closet to get out a comfortable tee shirt. If that tee shirt happened to be Lexa’s from a time she spent the night then so be it.

Lexa grinned, all her worries eased. She was always nervous about freaking Clarke out with the unplanned dates. She liked what they were doing and didn’t want to spook Clarke, who had already informed her that she wasn’t ready for a relationship. “Am I about to get a show?”

“You wouldn’t be able to handle it, sweetheart!” Clarke called out from somewhere on the other side of her room. Lexa’s response was to laugh.

The next morning, Clarke marched into Octavia’s room with a scowl. Octavia, who was already awake and eating breakfast looked over at her amused. “Well good morning to you too, darling.”

Clarke grumpily sat on the bed. She snatched a piece of bacon from Octavia’s plate and ate it angrily.

Octavia grinned. “What’d that bacon ever do to you?”

When Clarke glared at her, Octavia just laughed softly and went back to eating her breakfast. She knew Clarke would talk about what was bothering her when she was ready.

“I couldn’t break it off with Lexa last night.”

Octavia quirked an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“Because!” Clarke flopped dramatically on the bed. “She was being so cute and all that. I don’t want to let go of that yet. I know that the second I do things will change, and I know I don’t want that.”

Octavia finished up her plate and moved to stand. “Come on,” she nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen. They walked out and saw that Raven’s door was still firmly shut from last night. They exchanged a glance but neither commented.

“Clarke,” Octavia spoke up. “Do you want to keep seeing Lexa?”

“Yes,” she informed her without hesitation. “But I-“

“No excuses. It’s a yes or no,” Octavia interrupted.

Clarke sighed. “Yes. I want to keep doing… whatever it is we’re doing.”

Octavia placed her hand over Clarke’s and waited for Clarke to meet her eyes. “You’ve been so happy lately, babe, and now I know why. Lexa genuinely makes you happy. Don’t screw it up because you’re scared.”

Clarke opened her mouth to protest. “No, it’s not because I’m scared, O, it’s because we’re all connected and that’s so w-“

“Clarke.” At her stern tone, Clarke immediately stopped talking. “You’re lying to me, babe, but what’s even worse its you’re lying to yourself. Stop using Lincoln and I or Raven and Anya as an excuse. Deal with your feelings and woman up. Cut the bullshit.”

Clarke sighed and looked down. “I like her a lot. And I want to be with her, I just… I’m scared of it not working out.”

Octavia smiled. “Maybe you should tell her that instead of me.”

Clarke quickly thanked her and ran to her room to throw on some clothes. She had to get to Lexa’s apartment as quickly as possible. After she was done, she rushed back into the common area and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl to take as her breakfast.

“Thanks for getting my head out of my ass, O!” Clarke yelled before rushing out the front door and slamming it shut.

Octavia chuckled and made her way back to her room, unaware that Raven had been awake and listening to every word. “Maybe I should listen to O and talk to Anya about whatever it is we’re doing too,” she mused to herself. Raven sent off a text to Anya then got dressed and walked to Octavia’s room. She considered knocking for almost half a second before she just charged in unannounced.

“Hey, O. I’m going to meet up with Anya.”

Octavia wasn’t even surprised. “Okay. Have fun.”

Raven rolled her eyes and turned to leave but she was smiling. “Don’t wait up.”

When Octavia heard the front door open and close, she smirked to herself. “Two for one. I’m a fucking genius… Cupid better watch out.” She sat back and started going over some case files while sipping her coffee.

Clarke pulled up to the apartment and raised her hand to knock on the door but was stopped when the door swung open. Anya almost ran straight into the blonde but just barely stopped herself in time.

“Oh, hey, Clarke. Lexa just left.”

Clarke deflated slightly and smiled sadly. “That’s okay. Any idea when she’ll be back?”

Anya shrugged. “It shouldn’t be that long. I think she just went to the store to get a few things for breakfast. Do you want to wait here until she gets back?”

Clarke perked up. “Yeah, that’d be awesome.”

Anya nodded. “Okay. Well, it was nice talking to you, but I have to run. Lexa told me that I’ll be seeing you later tonight?”

“You will,” Clarke confirmed. “Also, fair warning… I think I may have gotten you in trouble..?”

Anya quirked an eyebrow. “Trouble? Please. I could kick Lexa’s ass into next week.”

Clarke laughed but shook her head. “No not with Lexa… I meant with Raven.”

Anya pinched the bridge of her nose. “What. Happened?”

Clarke sheepishly told her how everything went down, from the text to the questions game. Then about how she and Lexa met. Then she told her about how they were asking her how she knew Anya. Then she told her what she told them. “So then I told them about how we knew of each other but then we really interacted that time you came home early because your date got cancelled… sorry. Wait. But if you’re dating Raven and your date wasn’t with her, then I’m actually not sorry,” Clarke said after realizing she was about to apologize for ruining her cheating scheme. She put on her most intimidating face. “You hurt my best friend. And I won’t apologize for letting her know you’re not worth it. Even if it was by accident.”

Anya continued to pinch the bridge of her nose. “My date was with her. I was going to surprise her, but then I found out that she had to work. I wasn’t with anyone else. I had plans with her, she just didn’t know about it,” she groaned out, not acknowledging any of the last part of what Clarke said.

“So… you didn’t cheat on her?”

Anya finally looked at her. “No. I was going to ask her out, officially. But things have gotten in the way of that. Then she blew me off for today so… here we are.”

Clarke cringed. “Sorry.”

Anya waved her off. “It’s fine. You were looking out for your friend. I would never fault you for that.”

Clarke nodded feeling relieved. “Thanks. I’ll let you get to whatever you were doing. See you, Anya.”

“Bye. And don’t tell her what I told you. I want it to come from me.”

And with that, Clarke was left alone in Anya and Lexa’s apartment. She decided she would just wait in Lexa’s room and went in. When she got there, she smiled at how clean it was. Lexa was such a neat freak and it smelled really good.

“Maybe tone it down with candles a little, babe,” Clarke said aloud, amused. She took off her jacket, slipped out of her jeans, and kicked off her Ugg boots before getting into Lexa’s unmade bed.

Next thing Clarke knew, she was being gently shaken awake by the owner of the bedroom she was currently occupying. “Hey,” she said sitting up.

Lexa shook her head. “Don’t get up.” She stripped down to her underwear and grabbed a huge, comfy looking tee shirt from the foot of her bed. She then slipped in next to Clarke and pulled her into her chest. “Hey,” she whispered, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. Clarke smiled and cuddled her closer by burying her head into her chest. Before she knew it, they were both drifting off.

When Clarke woke back up a couple of hours later, she couldn’t help but smile at the fact that she was still in Lexa’s arms, though, somewhere in the midst of their sleeping she turned over so now her back was to Lexa. She felt a sense of calm and safety. She felt like nothing bad could ever happen to her while she was in her arms. Her smile slowly faltered. This was a lot like a relationship. Which the two of them clearly weren’t in.

It was just sex.

No matter how sweet Lexa was or how much time they spent together. No matter how much she enjoyed time spent with the other girl regardless of what they were doing. No matter how many late-night phone calls that weren’t always sexual. No matter how much she loved the way Lexa always asked about her day or took time out of her days just to spend time with her. No matter how much she wanted it to be one.

Okay so maybe it was a bit more than sex.

They were also friends, but a little more than that since they both had unspoken feelings for each other. Well, Lexa’s were clear. Did Lexa even know what Clarke felt for her? She mentally cursed. She would have to tell her. But, fuck, she was scared to. She didn’t want things to change especially not the admittedly fantastic sex with Lexa. More than that, she just didn’t want the way they acted with one another to change though she knew it would.

Now a change for the better or for the worse, she didn’t know. And that’s what terrified her and made her so hesitant to make the step. What if this easy-going thing they had was only easy going because they didn’t have the weight of the label “girlfriends” hanging over their heads? Relationships could be hard sometimes.

 _‘I’ll hold on to this a little while longer,’_ Clarke thought to herself. She wasn’t ready to let go of easy yet.

She was broken from her mess of thoughts when she felt Lexa coming to. She didn’t say anything and closed her eyes to wait and see how Lexa would respond to waking up with her. She was not disappointed with how she reacted.

First Lexa mumbled nonsense into the back of her neck. Then she froze when she realized she was holding someone. Upon realizing who she was holding she immediately relaxed. Next, she pressed her lips to the back of Clarke’s clothed shoulder and smiled so huge that Clarke could feel the grin. “You’re going to be my girlfriend one day, just watch,” she whispered. And finally, she pulled away. Clarke was grateful for that because she was certain that Lexa would’ve been able to feel how hard her heart was pounding at what she just said.

Lexa got out of bed, stretched and yawned. “A pretty girl deserves some pretty breakfast.” There was a moment of silence. “Pretty breakfast? What the fuck am I even talking about? This girl is driving me fucking insane.” But Clarke could hear the smile on her face. She then heard Lexa walking around and move to leave the room. She heard water running and assumed Lexa was brushing her teeth. Clarke moved to lie on her back and was staring at the ceiling when she heard Lexa coming back. She rushed to snap her eyes shut but knew she had been caught when Lexa smacked her teeth.

“I know you’re awake, Clarke. I saw you close your eyes just now.”

Clarke turned over with a guilty smile. “Morning.”

Lexa shook her head with a slight grin. She sat on the edge of the bed. “Hey. How long have you been awake anyway?”

“I woke up a few minutes before you did,” she admitted. She laughed at the way Lexa’s face paled with the realization that Clarke had heard her.

Clarke sat up and leaned over to peck Lexa on the cheek. “Relax,” she whispered.

Lexa’s blush was the cutest thing ever and Clarke couldn’t resist kissing her cheek again with a huge grin. “You said something about breakfast?” She figured she’d let Lexa off easy and give her an out.

Lexa graciously took that out. “Right. Breakfast.” That being said, Clarke got up and followed Lexa to the kitchen.

(And if her eyes were on Lexa’s barely covered ass the entire time, who could really blame her?)

Clarke opened the fridge and turned back to Lexa in disbelief. Lexa simply quirked an eyebrow, silently asking the question ‘what?’. “Anya said you went to the store to get things for breakfast. There’s nothing in here.”

Lexa scoffed. “Yes it is, Clarke. I did go to the store.”

Clarke moved out of the way. “Okay maybe we’re looking at two different refrigerators. I’ll move so you can look in it and see that I’m right.”

Lexa walked the few steps to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of almond milk. Then she pointed to the counter where the cereal was. “I just picked up some milk and cereal, Clarke. Sorry, hope you weren’t expecting gourmet. Today felt like a cartoon and cereal kind of morning.”

Clarke shook her head with a smile on her face. “You are such a child. What happened to pretty girl deserves pretty breakfast?”

Lexa frowned. She did say that. “I didn’t know you’d be here when I got back from the store,” she pointed out. “But, I mean, it’s no problem for me to go out and get y-“

Clarke cut her off with a kiss. “I was just teasing you. Cereal and cartoons sound perfect.” She pecked her lips once more and let herself linger before moving away. She smirked internally at the stunned look she left behind. Unfortunately for her, it was quickly wiped away as Lexa practically rushed her to open the cereal.

“Come on, Clarke, you’re going way too slow. Do you know what I ate for dinner last night? Sleep.”

Clarke laughed. “And why is that?”

“Because Anya was supposed to pick something up but she decided to eat with Lincoln instead. And I was too tired to go and buy something. And I refuse to eat another sandwich.”

Clarke shook her head. “And what do you plan on eating the rest of the day? Since you had the bright idea to only buy milk and cereal.”

Lexa shrugged. “Tonight I’ll be eating at Lincoln’s. I’ll figure out the rest later. I only had enough cash on me for milk and cereal.”

Clarke smiled in amusement but didn’t say anything else. When they both got their bowls ready, they made their way back to Lexa’s bedroom. They sat at the head of the bed facing the television, and Lexa pulled up Netflix and went to continue watching Avatar on it.

“Avatar? Really, Lexa?”

Lexa shrugged. “This is a childhood gem. And they just recently added it so I’m going to enjoy it while it’s here.” Clarke simply picked up her spoon to start eating. It sounded reasonable. And she liked Avatar so why not? “Oh, before I forget,” Lexa began, turning slightly to face Clarke. “Did you come over here for a specific reason or something? Or did you just want to hang out?”

Clarke thought about it for a moment, but she looked around and realized that she didn’t even want to end this easy no labels thing they had going on or even discuss it. It felt comfortable and it felt good. She looked back at Lexa with a genuine smile. “No specific reason. I just missed you is all.”

Lexa practically lit up with that small confession before trying to cover it up by acting casual, but the joy was still clear as day in her eyes. She turned back to the television when her smile broke through. “Cool.”

Clarke giggled and kissed her on the cheek. They watched in silence until they finished their cereal. After they finished, Lexa placed the bowls on her nightstand to be dealt with later. Then they made small talk until Clarke drifted off in Lexa’s warm and comfortable arms.

This time when Clarke woke up, she couldn’t help but be a little bit disappointed. Lexa wasn’t holding her. She grumpily turned over and noticed that not only was Lexa missing, but the bowls were as well and the television had been turned off. In addition to that, the space on the sheets she previously occupied was cool meaning she had been gone a while. Clarke pouted. What was she doing?

She grudgingly got up and made a detour to the bathroom to brush her teeth with the spare toothbrush that was already there waiting for her. After she finished in there, she went back to the bedroom and threw on a pair of her tights from the drawer Lexa dedicated to all of her things. She paused. “I have a drawer and a toothbrush here. Oh shit. We’re fucking dating already.” At the realization, she kind of just wanted to be curled up under Lexa.

So instead of returning back to the bed that was calling out to her, she reluctantly made her way to the common area where she heard voices. “Babe?” she called out, assuming the voices were coming from something Lexa was watching on screen. _’Why didn’t she just stay in bed to watch her stupid anime? Or whatever the fuck she calls it.’_ Clarke grumpily thought to herself. She rounded the corner only to find that Lexa was definitely _not_ alone.

“Raven?” she choked out in surprise. Raven was currently straddling Lexa. When they looked up, Lexa quickly tossed Raven off of her and stood up. She smiled at Clarke. “Hey, look who’s finally awake.”

Clarke tried really hard not to jump to conclusions because she knew Raven and she knew Lexa. Besides, her and Raven already dated the same person once and Clarke knew that neither of them ever wanted to repeat that experience ever again. She accepted the half hug from Lexa when she made her way over to the couch. “What’s going on?”

Raven immediately scowled and jumped towards Lexa once again. “I’m going to kill your girlfriend is what’s going on.”

Lexa laughed and dodged her. “You’re such a sore loser, Reyes!”

It was then that Clarke finally looked at the television and noticed that the two of them where playing some kind of video game. She looked closer at the game they were playing and it all began to make sense.

“I’m not a sore loser! At least, I wouldn’t be if you would stop telling me how trash I am every few seconds!”

Lexa laughed “Then stop dying every few seconds!”

Raven launched a controller at her head which, thankfully, Lexa dodged. But that only seemed to irritate Raven even more.

“Wait,” Clarke paused. “You’re actually dying in Mario Kart?” Raven turned her glare on Clarke who immediately held her hands out in front of her in fear of getting something thrown at her. “Just asking.”

Lexa seemed to be a glutton for punishment though because just as Raven opened her mouth to retort something, Lexa began singing horribly and loudly. “YOU WAS TALKING SHIT IN THE BEGINNING. I KNOW IT PISS YOU OFF TO SEE ME WINNING!”

Raven’s neck nearly snapped at how quickly she turned from Clarke to Lexa. “LEXA! Don’t you fucking quote Post Malone at me while we’re playing Mario Kart… AND YOU SKIPPED A LINE!” She made a beeline for Lexa who quickly darted out of the way and swan dived over the couch.

“I thought you were the best at this game, Reyes,” Lexa taunted while peaking over the couch. Clarke laughed but quickly covered it up by “coughing.” At Raven’s murderous glare, Clarke decided to intervene.

“Guys, knock it off.” Clarke said sternly. “Lexa stop being an ass, and Rae, calm the fuck down. Now, damn it.” She sat on the couch. When neither of them moved, she looked at them expectantly. They both reluctantly sat on the couch with Clarke. “Turn this off. Both of you are on video game punishment. And don’t argue with me.”

Lexa turned off the game and switched it to Netflix. She tossed the remote to Raven so she could pick something. “Where you a mom in another life or something? Because holy shit you sound just like one,” Lexa grumbled.

“Agreed,” Raven muttered. Afterwards, her eyes lit up. “Oooh Avatar!”

Lexa grinned over at her, “Right?!” And just like that, their Mario Kart feud was forgotten.

They grinned and turned their full attentions to what was now playing on the screen, talking to each other about which parts they thought were cool. Clarke shook her head. Both of them were just big ass children. She turned to Raven when Lexa went to the bathroom. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Oh, I came to talk to Anya. I heard you and O talking and thought to myself, well if Griff, the queen of not ready for relationships, can get over herself and talk to hers about what she wants, why can’t I talk to mine? But I had to go see Sinclair first, hence me being hours behind. How’d that go, by the way? I assume good? Neither of you commented when I said girlfriend earlier.”

Clarke had the decency to look embarrassed. Raven sighed and pinched her nose. “You didn’t talk, did you?”

“Not… yet,” Clarke admitted.

Raven groaned long and loud. “Clarke! That girl obviously adores you. I mean come _on_! She even started fucking singing Post Malone so my rage would be redirected to her. Nobody willingly gets themselves thrown in the midst of a Latina’s rage for no reason!” she whined. Clarke’s situationship with Lexa was starting to give her headaches and she’d only known about the whole thing for less than twenty-four hours.

“Yeah because you and Anya have everything all figured out?” Clarke snapped defensively. Raven wasn’t put off by it at all and just continued to look at her with an unimpressed look. Clarke pushed out a rushed breath. “Besides. I will talk to her about it. I just don’t know how.”

Raven rolled her eyes. “How about start with ‘hey Lexa I’m in love with you and I want us to be more than bang buddies. Oh, you too? Great. Let’s be girlfriends.’ That sounds excellent.”

Clarke couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that what you planned on saying to Anya?”

Raven waved her off. “No. Anya and I haven’t had sex yet so… maybe I’ll start with asking her if she wants to go on a date. Slow and steady and all that shit.”

Lexa came back in time to hear that last statement. “You guys haven’t slept together?” A look of realization crossed her face. “Oh shit.”

Both Clarke and Raven jumped having not heard Lexa coming. “Eavesdrop much? Holy shit, you’re like a freaking ninja!” Raven said while clutching her chest.

Lexa shrugged. “Be more aware of your surroundings,” she suggested. Clarke smirked.

Raven caught it but decided to say nothing. For now. She thought back to what Lexa actually said and was on her in an instant. “Wait a minute… You said, ‘oh shit’. You know something.” She was now standing and pointing her finger in Lexa’s face.

Lexa gently removed the hand and sat back down. “I know many things,” she agreed. Raven huffed and Lexa’s smirk turned devilish. “If you want information out of me, admit that you suck and I am better at Mario Kart than you.”

Raven gasped in offense and Clarke reprimanded Lexa by softly smacking her arm. “Lexa,” she chided.

“Hey, this is my best friend’s trust we’re talking about here!” she defended herself. “I at least want something out of it.”

Raven worked her jaw and eventually said. “You were better at Mario Kart than me today.” It looked painful for her to say even though that wasn’t what Lexa said.

Lexa shrugged. “Close enough.” She shifted so that her arm was wrapped around Clarke. “I’m only telling you this because I love Anya, and she can be too closed off for her own good.” She ignored the voice in her head that sounded an awful lot like Anya saying, ‘pot meet kettle.’ “I’m doing this to help her so I better not be wrong about you, Reyes, because if you hurt her I promise I’ll hurt you worse.”

The way she casually said it but with seriousness written all in her tone was a bit intimidating and both Clarke and Raven knew that she was dead serious. Raven nodded. “I would never purposely hurt her. I just want to be with her,” she softly admitted.

After a tense moment of silence, Lexa smiled. “Good.” And just like that, Lexa’s laid-back demeanor was back. “Anya is still my best friend so I won’t disclose too much. I will, however, hint at something and whatever conclusions you may or may not come to are not because I explicitly said so. Got it?”

Raven nodded. “Got it.”

“Anya never does slow if it’s someone she doesn’t care about. She almost always sleeps with people rather quickly or tell them to fuck off. And the fact that you guys have been doing your little dance for months now and you still haven’t slept together means…”

“She cares about me,” Raven breathed out. Clarke thought back to her earlier conversation with Anya and smiled. She was glad Lexa said something because she already told Anya she wouldn’t.

Lexa grinned. “Well I didn’t say that, but I’m glad you figured it out.”

Clarke laughed. She pecked Lexa’s lips for kindly helping Raven out. “Where is Anya anyway? I thought she didn’t work today? We had plans before I cancelled them.”

Lexa shrugged. “She doesn’t. She went to visit Uncle Gus, I think.”

“ _Uncle_ Gus? You two are related?” Raven asked.

Lexa hesitated. She hadn’t even told Clarke this yet. “Not by blood, no, but she is my sister. And Lincoln is my brother. I’m an orphan. Dad died while my mom was pregnant, and my mom died in a car accident when I was like four or five. My mom, Gustus, and Lincoln’s mom were all childhood friends so Gus took me in after. Said I better call him Uncle Gus since I’m officially part of the family now.”

She looked up and was happy to not receive the usual looks of pity she normally got when news got out that she was an orphan. She smiled at that.

“That explains why your mannerisms are so similar,” Raven hummed. Lexa shrugged in an ‘I guess so’ sort of way.

“Hey, I need to head out.” Raven said while standing and looking at her watch. “It’s getting late, and we need to be at Lincoln’s in two hours.”

Clarke’s eyes widened. Did she sleep the day away? Oh well at least she was in the safety of Lexa’s arms. “Shit, I’ll meet you there,” Clarke said standing up. She still had to put her clothes from earlier back on. She could’ve been ready to go in less than five minutes to leave with Raven, but she wanted a little extra alone time with Lexa.

Raven winked knowingly and obnoxiously on her way out. “See you later.”

When she was gone, Clarke turned back to Lexa who was already staring at her. “Hey,” she smiled softly. She sat down next to Lexa and kissed her hotly. When she pulled away, Lexa was still leaning in until she realized that Clarke had stopped.

“Hell of a hello, Clarke,” Lexa said breathlessly.

Clarke grinned. “Yeah well, I’ve been wanting to do that since I woke up in your bed. Maybe a little more, but you had company so…”

Lexa’s eyebrows rose at the implications of what could have been. “Damn,” she sighed. “She wasn’t even my company, you know,” she pouted. “I would have gladly kicked her ass out for you.”

Clarke laughed. “Since when have you been known to be a bad hostess?”

Lexa shrugged; all hints of playfulness gone from her tone as she spoke her next words. “I think I might do anything for you. If you’d just let me.”

Clarke’s breath hitched and her smile slowly faded while the air of an unexpected heavy confession settled around them. And with the way Lexa was looking at her, she knew that she meant every word. Clarke smiled and kissed Lexa again, this time slowly. “You’re cute.” It was all she could think to say in the moment. Other than the three little words in the back of her mind that neither of them were ready for. At least not before talking about and defining whatever it is they are.

Lexa smiled. “You should go.”

Clarke sat back confused. “Are you… kicking me out?”

Lexa’s eyes widened. “No! I just know how long it takes you to get ready. I mean not that you need it because even when you first wake up you look, I mean, _wow_ , you know? But I know how long it takes you to get ready, and, here’s a hint: it’s forever. Seriously, you like to take your time and do your make up and your hair and change your outfit a minimum of three times and s-“

Clarke cut off her rambling with a kiss. “You’re probably right,” she admitted.

“That’s usually the case,” Lexa said distractedly while staring at Clarke’s lips. Her eyes snapped up when the corner of the mouth she had been staring at quirked up as if she were fighting off a laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” Clarke chuckled and kissed her again. “Just the effect I have on you is cute.”

Lexa rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She reached for Clarke’s hand, and, when she had it, she guided Clarke back to her room. “Put on your clothes.”

Clarke grinned. “Wow. I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said that sentence to me. You usually want them off.”

Lexa smirked back. “Maybe I just want to see you strip.”

Clarke raised an eyebrow. “You want a strip tease?”

Lexa’s mouth went dry at the thought of Clarke actually giving her a strip tease followed by a lap dance and tons of hot sex. She unconsciously wiped at her mouth as if some drool were forming there. “I certainly wouldn’t object,” she finally managed to get out after her vivid daydream.

Clarke playfully shoved her shoulder. “Shut up,” she blushed. She had a good idea of where Lexa’s mind had just gone. She stripped out of the tights and tossed them into Lexa’s laundry bin. She walked over to where her clothes were neatly folded, curtesy of Lexa, and quickly put them on. She slipped her sockless feet into her boots and she was done. Lexa handed her jacket and walked her to the door.

They both were stalling for a little bit more time, but Clarke glanced at the clock on the wall and knew she had to go. Lexa seemed to notice too and opened the door for Clarke to go out of. Clarke thanked her and stepped outside. She was about to walk away but stopped in her tracks. Lexa opened her mouth to ask her what was wrong, but she was stopped from doing so when Clarke turned around and looked at her with what looked like love in her eyes. Clarke leaned in and hugged Lexa tight, smiling when it was immediately reciprocated. She pulled away and looked into Lexa’s eyes.

Lexa shoved her hands into the pockets of her sweat shorts and leaned on the door frame. “I guess I’ll see you in a couple of hours,” she said, running her hand over her wavy hair.

Clarke nodded her confirmation. “You will be seeing me in a couple of hours. Maybe sooner.”

Lexa smiled. “Great. Can’t wait.”

Clarke returned that smile and made her way to her car. She noticed that Lexa had waited until she was safely inside the car before going back inside and her heart fluttered. “Damn. I miss her already. How sappy can one get?” she wondered.

She shook the thoughts away and drove home. When she got there, she ignored Raven who was far too smug for her liking. Rather than indulge her, Clarke instead chose to go to her room to start getting ready because Lexa was right. She did take an unnecessarily large amount of time to get ready. Today she wanted to prove her wrong so she went a bit quicker.

It only took her an hour and a half this time.

She went out in the common area to find Raven already waiting on her. She quirked an eyebrow. “Are you seriously eating before we go to a dinner?”

Raven turned around quick with an ‘oh shit’ expression on her face. She pinched the bridge o her nose. “Shit, Clarke, you can’t sneak up on people like that! I almost punched you in the face!”

Clarke laughed. “From fifteen feet away? With your hands filled with food? Yeah okay.”

Raven just glared at her. “Anyway, as for your earlier question, come on. You know how much food it takes to fill me up, and I don’t want to be rude.” Clarke once again raised her eyebrow. Since when has Raven ever gave two fucks about being rude? She was just as bad as, if not worse than, Octavia. So she waited until Raven decided to reveal the real reasoning. Raven rolled her eyes. “I hate how you see right through me. Fine. While that is partially true, the heavier reason is that I get really tired after I eat a lot sometimes and I want to have full energy afterwards because… I invited Anya to spend the night.”

Clarke’s mouth dropped. “Where you going to tell me that I’ve been displaced from my home?”

Raven smacked her teeth. “Oh shut up. We both know you’re staying at Lexa’s tonight anyway. Especially since you just made it official.” Clarke didn’t say anything. Raven tilted her head, and Clarke looked away. “Fucking hell, Griff. Still no conversation?”

Clarke sheepishly shook her head. “Not… really. No.”

Raven began pacing and mumbled under her breath in Spanish but Clarke couldn’t really make it out from across the room or at how fast Raven was talking. Abruptly, Raven stopped and turned to face her. “What the hell took you so long to leave then?”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Is it really so hard to believe that I will talk to her and that even though we haven’t said it, we both know we’re exclusive?”

Raven opened her mouth to no doubt give a smartass retort, but Clarke was saved by the sound of Raven’s phone ringing. Raven threw a glare her way before turning to her phone. She saw that it was Octavia calling and immediately widened her eyes when they fell upon the time. “Shit, we’re late,” she muttered to Clarke.

Clarke was suddenly very grateful that her phone was on silent in her clutch because nine times out of ten, Octavia tried to call her first. Clarke tuned back in when Raven was hanging up.

“What was it? Why are you going to your room?” Clarke was confused.

“Mix up at the restaurant. Now we’re having a casual dinner at Lincoln’s place. She said give them an hour to throw some food together. And bring rolls.”

Clarke went to her room to change as well. It took her significantly less time to get ready since she wasn’t dressing up anymore. She washed her make up off then changed. Twenty minutes later, when she was done, she decided to go with light make up. She walked out and waited for Raven to be ready so they could go to the store together and maybe help Lincoln and Octavia out.

Clarke had only been waiting for about fifteen minutes before Raven came out. Raven took one look at Clarke and a devilish grin overtook her features. “Whoa, Griff. Planning to get laid?” she asked, hands gesturing to the generous amount of cleavage that Clarke was showing off.

Clarke shrugged and grinned back. “You’re one to talk, Reyes. What, are those pants painted on you?”

Raven laughed. “They we’re a bitch to get on and will most likely be a bitch to get off, but one, that’s not my problem since I won’t be the one taking them off, and two, it’s so worth it. Anya can never keep her hands to herself when I wear these jeans.”

Clarke smiled and stood up. “Let’s go. I’m driving since I’m apparently not staying here tonight.”

Raven scoffed. “Don’t use me as an excuse. You were never spending the night here.”

Clarke just grinned innocently.

After the two of them went to pick up bread, they went to Lincoln’s loft. When they entered, Lexa was already there helping. She was finishing up the asparagus, Lincoln had the fish, and Octavia was just getting done with mashed potato duty. When she looked up, she sighed in relief. “Finally. One of you come help out.”

“I paid for the bread,” Clarke immediately said while walking away.

Lincoln opened his mouth to protest, but Lexa shook her head. “Trust me, it’s better if she stays far away from the kitchen.” Clarke wanted to be offended, but she knew it was true so she chose to ignore it instead. “Hello, Lincoln. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Clarke,” she smiled at him. She would’ve shaken his hand or hugged him or something, but he was preparing the food. He smiled and returned her sentiments. “Hey, Lexa.” Clarke grinned then looked around. “Hey, where’s Anya?”

“She is right here,” Anya said, walking in the door as if she were summoned. “Hey, Blondie.” Clarke smiled at the nickname and opened her mouth to say hey back.

“Hey, do you need to use the restroom?” Lexa suddenly cut in. “I’ll show you where it is, Clarke.”

Clarke was completely thrown off, but she could tell by the look on Lexa’s face that it would be in her best interest to follow along with it. That was Lexa’s ‘I need to kiss you right now’ face. She nodded. “Yes, I do need to. Thank you, Lexa.” They smiled and walked off.

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Subtle.” Raven snickered.

Anya and Lincoln remained confused. “That was weird. Anyway, Ahn, what’s for desert?” Raven could tell by the look on her face that whatever she was about to say was going to be ridiculous.

“Cherry pie. Because one of our guests _really_ likes cherries,” she said with a shit eating grin while glancing in Raven’s direction. Raven flashed back to one night a few weeks ago when she and Anya were alone. They were eating the rest of Lexa’s cherries, just to spite her for leaving them stranded at the mall while she went to go meet Clarke. (At the time, Raven didn’t know it was Clarke, but now she’s pretty damn certain that that’s who it was.) Raven had made some stupid joke about how since Anya couldn’t tie the stem she must be a bad kisser. Anya proved her wrong. Extremely wrong.

So wrong that when she was finally home hours later, she had to-

Raven flushed bright red at what Anya was referring to. Octavia took one look and said “Yeah. I don’t even want to know.” Poor Lincoln was once again confused.

In the bathroom, Lexa had Clarke hoisted in the air by her hips and pinned to the wall. She broke off the kiss to lick and nip up and down Clarke’s neck.

“Fuck, no marks, babe,” Clarke gasped. Lexa simply returned her lips to hers. Clarke felt herself getting more and more turned on with every passing second so she slowed the kiss down until it naturally ended. Lexa set her down but still kept her arms around Clarke’s waist. “We should maybe…” Clarke started but quickly trailed off and kissed Lexa again because she couldn’t resist those pouty kissable lips.

They kissed for a few minutes before a bang startled them both one foot into an early grave. They realized it was banging on the bathroom door. “Dinner’s ready!” Octavia called out. They waited until the footsteps walked off before they moved.

“Holy shit. I almost peed my pants,” Clarke grumbled.

Lexa laughed. “You’re so adorable when you’re being a pussy.”

“Please,” Clarke scoffed. “Don’t pretend that I can’t read you, Lexa. You were scared too.”

Lexa bristled. “I was not!”

“Tell that to the very tight grip you have on my waist,” Clarke said. She placed her hand on Lexa’s chest. “And your pounding heartbeat.”

Lexa rolled her eyes. “Okay, but in my defense, my elevated heart rate has nothing to do with that jump scare. It’s simply a side affect from being your proximity, I’m afraid.”

Clarke laughed and buried her face in the crook of Lexa’s neck. “You think you’re so smooth, don’t you?”

Lexa laughed softly in return and began rubbing her hands up and down Clarke’s back. “If we’re being honest, that wasn’t entirely accurate.” She ignored the grumbling in her neck and continued. “It isn’t just being in your proximity. It’s also when I get a text or a call from you. It’s when I look up and you’re already looking at me. Hell, it’s whenever I think about you,” she spoke softly. Clarke smiled and kissed her again.

“Come on,” she whispered. “Let’s go eat before Octavia comes back.”

Lexa smiled and nodded. Clarke opened then door and Lexa’s eyes widened when she noticed something. “Wait,” she hissed, yanking Clarke back.

“Lexa, what the h-“

“Unless you want to go back out there looking like you just had a high school make out session in the back of your old car, shut up and let me fix your hair and lipstick smudges.”

Clarke turned towards the mirror and saw that Lexa was right. “Fix yourself,” she gestured toward Lexa noting that she looked just as bad.

Five minutes later, they were walking to the dining room. “This is a very nice loft, Lincoln,” Clarke politely said while looking around. It was a generous sized two-story loft though Clarke could tell that the only thing upstairs was a bedroom and maybe another bathroom.

“Thank you,” he said kindly. “And it never gets lonely since someone is always here to keep me company,” he added, smiling at Octavia.

Dinner conversations continued on with everyone involved and not once getting dull. The evening carried on and eventually everyone had finished their plates. Some were even on their second plates. (Raven was looking at Anya with love in her eyes as she watched her pile up more food on her empty plate. She loved a girl who wasn’t afraid to eat, damnit.)

“So, Lincoln,” Lexa said with a huge smile. “It’s good to see you happy, man. You deserve it.”

Lincoln mirrored her smile and lifted his glass of wine to clink with hers. “Same to you and Anya.” Anya opened her mouth but Lincoln cut her off with a wag of his finger. “Nuh uh. Lexa and I are your best friends. Your siblings. You think we can’t tell you’ve been seeing someone? Just because we don’t say anything doesn’t mean we don’t see it.”

Anya shrugged. “You’re right. I have been seeing someone.” She turned and directed the last part of her sentence to Raven. “Exclusively.”

Raven couldn’t help but smile. “Exclusively?”

Anya nodded and smiled back. “Yeah. There isn’t anyone else. I know you were upset when Clarke told you that we only hung out that first time because my date got cancelled, but, babe. My date was a surprise date for you. I wanted to ask you something, but I never got the chance. So here I am, asking you in front of my two siblings who will never let me live this down, and your two best friends.” She paused to take a breath. She looked around the table and noticed that all eyes were on her. She met Lexa’s eyes and smiled a small smile at the encouraging nod she got. It did little to help her nerves, but it was still reassuring. Then her eyes met Raven’s again and all she felt was calm. “Rae, will you be my girlfriend? Officially?”

All eyes snapped to Raven, who’s answer was immediate. “Well, it sure did take you long enough,” she laughed through her happy tears. They met each other halfway in a kiss, made easy since they were sitting next to each other anyway. It was a beautiful moment.

A beautiful moment ruined by Octavia.

“Holy shit, calm down. You guys are acting like you just got engaged. Chill.” She said with an eyeroll though it was obvious her eyes were shining with joy for her best friend. Raven flicked her off and continued to make out with Anya. Lexa forcibly pulled Anya off of Raven.

“Enough of that. I don’t want my meal to come back up.”

Anya rolled her eyes at the dramatics but didn’t start back kissing Raven. The conversation picked back up into an easy-going atmosphere. Jokes were made, times were reminisced, things were discussed, etcetera, etcetera.

Until Anya rounded the conversation back to the dating.

“Now all we have to do is get Lexa to admit who she’s seeing,” Anya said after swallowing a fork full of garlic mashed potatoes. “Since we all know that I’m dating Raven and Linc is dating Octavia.”

“Anya, stop,” Lexa said with a sigh. She was honestly getting kind of tired of the prying. It had been going on for months now, on and off.

“You’ve totally been smitten!” Anya continued. “I just wanna know who, Lex, c’mon tell me.”

Clarke hid a smirk behind her cup of sweet tea and Lexa narrowed her eyes at her. Clarke looked away with a wink.

“Hmm,” Lincoln said with a thoughtful expression. “She’s right, you have been extra happy lately. I noticed it too, but I haven’t seen you with anyone new or sneaking off like Anya here, so I figured I was imagining it.”

“Right?” said Anya. “I bet it’s Costia. Again.”

Raven choked on her wine and Octavia became weirdly interested at the prospect of burning a hole in the side of Lexa’s face with her eyes as Clarke made eye contact with a suddenly nervous Lexa.

“Anya, seriously. Stop,” Lexa tried again, this time a bit of warning in her tone.

“I saw her leaving the apartment just last week, Lex. You can’t hide from me,” she smiled as she punched her gently on the arm in a teasing manner. “I know a walk of shame when I see one.”

Clarke frowned. Costia? The same Costia who was clearly not over Lexa and made it known to anyone and their mom every time she was anywhere near her? The only Costia Lexa knew? Okay, wait.

Costia spent the night at Lexa’s?

Costia spent the night at Lexa’s, _and_ Lexa didn’t tell her?

Clarke stood up drawing attention to her. She smiled a tight smile as she spoke. “I’m going to go use the restroom. Be right back.” And she walked away. After a couple of seconds, Lexa stood as well.

“I-I should go show her. Where it is. The bath, the restroom.” And she left, avoiding eye contact with both Octavia and Raven because she didn’t want to face the glares that she knew that both of them had directed to her for hurting their friend. They probably wanted her dead.

Anya looked confused. “She wants to show her to the restroom again? Didn’t she already show her when she first got here?”

Octavia and Raven remained silent. “Okay,” Lincoln said slow, long, and drawn out. He turned to Raven. “So, how is working as a part time mechanic going for you?” He smiled as her eyes lit up and she went on a passionate rant. Mini crisis averted for now. He smiled even harder when Octavia leaned over to kiss him for his troubles.

“Clarke!” she whisper shouted after a mini jog to catch up with her. “Clarke, wait!”

Clarke opened the bathroom door but didn’t bother to hold it open and instead swung it back closed for Lexa, who ran right into it. She smirked a little at that. A few seconds later, Lexa pushed open the bathroom door while holding her nose.

“Okay, ouch,” she pouted. And Clarke definitely did not find it ridiculously adorable. Nope, not one bit. “That was incredibly rude, babe.”

Clarke whipped her head around. “No! You do not get to call me babe! Don’t babe me!”

“Clarke-“ she tried, even going as far as gently taking ahold of her wrist to keep her in place. They had been doing this for quite a while. She knew that Clarke had the tendency to try to walk away when pissed.

“No, it’s fine. I mean I’m not even upset because this means nothing. This thing between you and I is just a fling. Two friends who sleep together. No feelings, no emotions whatever.”

Clarke immediately regretted her words the second they came out of her mouth. She hated the pain she could see clear as day on Lexa’s face almost as much as she hated seeing it be covered by that stoic mask that took her months to get past.

Lexa dropped her hand from Clarke’s wrist and nodded her head once. “Right. Right, of course.” She turned on her heel and was ready to walk away before a hand shot out and grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her in place.

“Lexa,” she whispered. “You know I didn’t mean that.” When Lexa didn’t turn around, she tightened her grip, just a little. “Hey.” And finally, Lexa did turn around. Clarke could see the pain in her eyes and the strain from her clenching her jaw so hard. “Come here,” she whispered. She wrapped her arms around Lexa, and Lexa let her. After a pause, Lexa held her too.

“I’m not seeing Costia. At least, not like that,” she whispered with her eyes closed. Her forehead was now resting on Clarke’s, and they both had their eyes closed. “She called me. She was drunk off her ass so I picked her up and let her stay in my bed while I slept on the couch. What Anya saw, what she thinks she saw, that was just me being a decent human being, Clarke. Not me being involved with-. Not when I-. Not when there’s you.”

Clarke smiled and kissed Lexa. She kissed her long and hard. Right there in the middle of Lincoln’s empty bathroom while they were supposed to be enjoying a friend merging dinner.

“I’m sorry,” she said when she finally pulled away. “I’m just so into you and hearing you with other people sucks and I know I shouldn’t be upset because I’m the one who said we shouldn’t put a label on things but I want it. I want you,” Clarke rushed out. She took a breath and pulled back to look Lexa in her eyes. “I don’t want a fling. I want us to be more.”

Lexa smiled wide and hard. “It was never just a fling for me, Clarke.” Then she was kissing Clarke. When she pulled away, she had a smug look on her face. Clarke knew she would regret asking but she did anyway.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked wearily. Lexa’s smug look turned into a full-blown smile, and she shrugged. Clarke giggled. “What?”

“I knew you wanted me.” At Clarke’s look of disbelief she continued. “Come on, Clarke. Nobody does what we’ve been doing for the past five months if they didn’t have feelings for each other.” She pondered a bit. “Or unless they had issues. Also, I overheard Raven saying you were in love with me earlier, and you didn’t correct her,” Lexa said the last sentence a bit softer and more rushed. To save Clarke from having to actually admit it out loud when it was clear she wasn’t ready to, Lexa continued speaking. “Besides, I’m amazing. Who wouldn’t want me?”

Clarke scoffed a laugh but didn’t deny it. “And very modest.” A pause before Clarke grew serious. “The reason it took me so long… The reason for my commitment issues… I- damn, this is harder than I thought. Actually saying the words out loud.”

Lexa could see her struggling so she decided to give her an out. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Clarke. I stuck around because I wanted to. Commitment issues and all.” She smiled to let Clarke know she meant it.

“My ex, he acted like a good guy, and it turns out he was just a cheating, lying asshole. He played me, and I haven’t been with anyone serious ever since.”

“Okay.” Lexa simply said. She appeared calm even though her blood was boiling on the inside. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of it because she could sense that Clarke didn’t want that, but still. What kind of idiot cheats on Clarke? Hurts her like that? _‘Oh well, his loss is my gain,’_ Lexa thought to herself and immediately calmed down. “Thank you for telling me.”

Clarke smiled and kissed her. “Thank _you_ for having patience with me when I was hesitant.”

Lexa hugged her hard. “Clarke. I told before and I’ll tell you again. I’d do anything for you. If you’d just let me.”

Clarke held onto her tighter. “I’m letting you. I don’t think I could thank you enough for not giving up on me, Lex,” she whispered into her shoulder.

Lexa smiled into her hair. “I’ll love you like I’ve never ever loved somebody. I’ll give you things you didn’t even know you wanted. You just have to remember to let me, babe.”

Clarke pulled back and repositioned herself so she could kiss Lexa. She put every emotion she was feeling into that kiss. When she pulled away, Lexa was panting and a bit dazed. Clarke smiled and kissed her again, this time softer and less intense. “Want to get back out there?”

“Sure,” Lexa smiled. She turned to leave but turned back. She silently worked her jaw a few times and Clarke could tell she was trying to work up the courage to say something so she waited. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Clarke laughed and kissed the insulted look off of Lexa’s face. “Babe, you’ve been my girlfriend for five months.” They smiled at each other and left the bathroom together. The two of them were so caught up in each other, they forgot that they were holding hands until Anya said something.

“Huh. I guess that’s why you wanted me to stop prying.”

Clarke and Lexa froze. “Yeah…” Lexa trailed off awkwardly, her hand going to rub the back of her neck. Clarke rolled her eyes and kissed Lexa on the cheek.

“We’ve been dating for five months.” She dropped casually before retaking her seat at the table and eating her food. Lexa followed suit with a blush.

Anya glared at Lexa. “So you lied when I asked if you two had something going on last fourth of July when you invited her over?”

Lexa shook her head. “No, we were still just friends at that time.”

Anya rolled her eyes. “Please. I could see the heart eyes from Mars.”

“I don’t have heart eyes,” she grumbled.

Clarke laughed. “You do, babe.”

Anya turned almost apologetic. “Sorry about the Costia thing. I know you aren’t seeing her… I just figured if I kept saying the wrong name, you’d get fed up and correct me. Didn’t mean to disrespect or cause any problems in your relationship.”

Lexa shook her head with a half-smile. “Don’t worry about it. We’re good. We actually needed to have that talk anyway.” Lexa chanced a shy smile at Clarke who was already smiling at her. Lexa smiled harder. They picked up their utensils and resumed eating.

It was silent for a beat. “Though if you would’ve just told me…”

Lexa looked at her in disbelief. “Like how you told me about Raven?”

“Wait,” Lincoln said, still confused, interrupting Anya’s response which would have surely ended with the two of them going back in forth. “How long have you two known each other? I thought this was your first-time meeting.” He paused. “Five months? That’s longer than Octavia and I have been t-“

“They met last summer in June at the coffee shop where Clarke works part time. Then they started dating five months ago in January,” Octavia said with an eyeroll. “Keep up, dude.”

Lincoln looked almost offended. “Well no one tells me things anymore,” he pouted. Everyone laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> partially inspired by If You Let Me by Sinead Harnett ft. GRADES, if you couldn't already tell


End file.
